It’s a New Year with a fresh start! I can start eating better. I can read my bible more! I can spend more time with family. I can be better than I was last year… This is always the New Years mentality. I find the New Year even giving me a surge of determination. With this new sense of drive, I find myself asking, why?

Why do I wait for passing year for a “fresh start”? I always have that option no matter the time of year. I find that this fresh start has always been possible. A fresh start or A New Year’s Resolutions is always possible with God. I find that no matter how great the resolution, I will always fail. I’m human. My own willpower will never be enough. I believe if I want my resolution to last it needs to have something more then my human willpower backing it up. Lets face the facts, My willpower will only last me so far into this new year, and the minute things start getting hard willpower checks out. Willpower is fueled by my mind, will, and emotions. If I really don’t want to go to the gym my mind will give plenty of excuses not to go. “I just ate.” “My knee is killing me.” “I think chasing Little Johnny on the playground counted as cardio.” The mind is deceitful above all things. Fact is I am instructed to be spirit-led, not willpower-led (Meyer, 2007). My soul’s (mind, will, emotions) determination can only drive me so far, but I’m going to need God’s Spirit to get me to my goal. Zechariah 4:6 says, “Not by might, nor power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.” #spiritpower

So instead of the normal New Year’s hype determining my motivation, I’ll rely on God’s Power to drive me through the long months ahead. Jesus did say in John 15:5, “Apart from me you can do nothing.”

God, I need you. I need you in this year to come. I need your spirit to guide and grow me into the woman you are calling me to be. My soul is weak without you. Help me beat my flesh in 2018. Be my willpower! Help me to fix my eyes on you in my weakness.

This inspired me this week. On the bible app Joyce Meyer has a 14 day devotional from her book, New Day, New You. I am really enjoying it! Check it out!!